Wire tension device



(NoModeL) I W. M. AUGUSTINE.

WIEE TENSION DEVICE. No. 385,987. Patented July 10, 1888.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. AUGUSTINE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

WIRE TENSION DEVICE.

sPfECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,987, dated July 10, 1888.

Application filed April .26, 1888. Serial No. 271,915. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I. WILLIAM M. AUGUSTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers and Tension Devices for Wire-Fence Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My said invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers and tension devices for constructing combined wire and wood fences, in which the pairs of wire are first stretched and then automatically fed as the fence is in process of formation; and it consists in certain novelty in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the same, all of which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of my device secured to a post and a pair of the line-wires of a fence, and Figs. 2 and 3 are details showing arrangement of the loosely-mounted pins connecting the ends of the yoke.

Referring to said drawings, A represents a frame or yoke made of any suitable spring metal. The sides A A of said yoke are parallel,aud have their ends bent in toward each other until they almost meet, and are then bent out, forming lips or projecting ends a a. These lips or ends are connected by two pins or rivets, a a, loosely mounted in apertures in said ends.

B is a spool or Windlass mounted between the sides A A at any convenient point, preferably about the center of the yoke, the journals of the Windlass being mounted in hearings in said sides A A, and one journal, b, extending through one side and being keyed to receive a crank-handle, G.

D is heavy wire or rope secured to the Windlass, and adapted to be wound around the same. This wire or rope extends between the lips or ends a a. To the end of said wire or rope is secured a pulley, E, for the purpose hereinafter described.

E until said wire is doubled. The free ends a of the same are then secured to a post in any desired manner, thus forming a pair of linewires, which are to be twisted about the palings. In the drawings I show several palings, I. of a fence in process of construction. After the wire has been doubled, so as to form a pair,the Windlass or spool is turned by means of the crank-handle until said wire has been stretched as much as desired. The not f on the bolt F is then screwed up until the sides A A clamp against the ends of the Windlass and the lips or'ends a a clamp the wire or rope D, thus forming a spring frictional ten-- sion device, which pays out the wire as it is taken up in twisting the same around the palings. The pulley E acts as an equalizer for the pair of wires. \Vith each pair of wires I use one of my stretchers and tension devices. When one pair of wires has been sufficiently stretched,the crank-handle is removed and applied to the journal of the next stretcher.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y In a wire-stretcher and tension device for a wire-fence machine, the combination of the yoke or frame A, having its ends bent together and forming lips or projections a a, the spool or Windlass B, mounted in said yoke and carrying the stretching wire or rope D, passing between the lips a a, and provided with the equalizing-pulley E, around which the linewire passes, and the clamping-bolt F and nut f, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' \VILLIAM M. AUGUSTINE. Witnesses:

A. S. DUNBAR, BURR AUGUSTINE. 

